A NEW SPECIES OF HYLA FROM NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL (AMPHIBIA, ANURA, HYLIDAE)

Abstract

A new medium-sized species of Hyla from a montane forest in northeastern Brazil is described (snout–vent length in males 37.3–42.2 mm). The new taxon is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: (1) prepollex and prepollical spine present; (2) dorsal color pattern brown, with bright, metallic tan or yellowish triangular spot covering dorsum of snout; (3) supralabial stripe metallic beige, slightly yellowish; (4) dorsolateral stripe bright, yellow, extending from middle eyelid to groin, breaking into series of small contiguous ovoid spots posteriorly; (5) concealed areas of legs and flanks pale cream; (6) tadpole stream-inhabitant. A large proportion of the tadpoles, which are herein described, revealed oral disk abnormalities that could be potentially associated with infection by chytrid fungus. To our knowledge, this is the first published record of a species of Hyla with stream-inhabitant tadpoles in northeastern Brazil.